Finding a real agent to assist you with the process of buying or selling a home is a big decision that should not be taken lightly. Picking the right agent can save you lots of time, money, and unnecessary stress. On the other hand, picking the wrong agent can cost you BIG, and even have long-term consequences.

You love your pet—he’s like your child, after all—but the IRS doesn’t quite see it that way. The IRS takes the position that the money you spend on Fido or Fluffy is generally a personal expense. Your pet gives you pleasure like that latte you bought on your way to work this morning, but just like your cup of coffee isn’t tax deductible, neither is your pet.

This article explains the four most common valuation methods used for real property transactions and how and when they are used. It’s important to note that the methods below are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Lenders, servicers, investors, and other professionals use one or more of these valuation methods, depending on circumstances and the type of transaction. Often, one valuation method is used to confirm or quality-check the results of another.

According to advocacy group Project: Time Off, more than half of American workers leave unused vacation days on their company’s boardroom table. Meanwhile, the research shows that by planning ahead, more families will actually take much-needed vacations and thus reap a multitude of personal and professional benefits.

While your credit score affects everything from your ability to buy a car or a home to how much interest you will pay on the loan, many people don’t know how these scores are calculated or what impacts them positively or negatively.